Update: The competition is over between Palmyra and Monroe City.
UPDATED: June 18, 2011
Last week, Palmyra's Mayor Loren Graham declared defeat against Monroe CIty in the rivals' Biggest Loser Challenge.
Residents had 8 weeks to drop the pounds, enough to weigh down the competition. Saturday, Monroe City's victory was quite colorful as weight loss challengers met one last time for the winning ceremony.
For every pound Monroe City lost, a shiny bright balloon took to the sky. While the overall weight loss win when to Monroe City, a personal competition between the cities mayors led to what some would say more satisfying results.
"I lost 17 pounds," said Monroe City Mayor Neal Minor.
"I lost 25 pounds," said Palmyra Mayor Loren Graham.
"I think everyone had in the back of their mind that they needed to do something to lose weight to contribute," said Minor.
"I knew I needed to lose weight. It was an incentive for me to get out and walk every night and watch what I ate.I think a lot of people in town did the same thing but maybe we didn't take it quite as seriously as they did," said Graham.
"In the end as a community we lost 416 pounds," said Minor.
"We lost 284 pounds out of the 40 that weighed in," said Graham.
Both very happy with their own results, we asked if they planned on keeping up a personal weight loss goal for the future.
"No , probably not," said Minor, laughing.
"I'm going to keep it up. I have to lose 20 more pounds. I have to. I'm still a little chubby," said Graham.
The two rivals say another challenge could start back up next year, but Monroe City won't be too eager to give up its new title.
"We have the resolution from the Palmyra City Council declaring us the biggest losers," said Minor.
Also announced by Minor on Saturday: The city's female winner was Cassie Wilson, who lost 13.4 percent - which also made her the overall winner. Dana Bassett lost the most pounds (42), but not the biggest percentage.The male winner was Gerry Quinn, who lost 11.2 percent. He also donated his $100 award to Smile Train, which provides cleft palate surgery to children in third world countries.
As a community, Monroe City lost 416 pounds, or 5.64 percent. Palmyra lost 284 pounds, or 3.68 percent. Monroe City also contributed 370 pounds of food to the Northeast MO food bank, which supplies the Monroe City food bank, through the Pound for Pound Challenge.
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UPDATED: June 9 at 11:26 a.m.
The results are in for the weight loss competition between Palmyra and Monroe City.
Palmyra Mayor Loren Graham has conceeded to Monroe City's Mayor Neal Minor.
In Palmyra, out of the 40 people who weighed in, they lost 284 pounds which was a total percentage of 3.68%.
The 33 people in Monroe City who participated lost 416 pounds -- which is 5.64%.
There will be an awards ceremony at 10 a.m. June 18 at St. Jude Park to give away awards to the top male and female losers.
Palmyra's biggest loser was Mayor Graham. He lost 25 pounds.
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UPDATED: May 10 at 3:00 p.m.
Gym memberships are up as residents in Palmyra and Monroe City continue to drop the pounds.
We're in week five of their biggest loser competition, with three more weeks to go.
KHQA stopped by Priority Fitness in Palmyra and FITe Club in Monroe City where the weigh-ins are taking place. Staff from both say residents are more energized than ever.
"There's been a lot of progress so far. It's been amazing. Everybody's so excited and just ready to lose the weight," said Brenda Berry, the owner of FITe Club.
"People are still very motivated. Not only was the first week good, but they continue to come in every day," said Jess Kohlmeier, a physical therapist at Priority Fitness.
Palmyra resident Tom Bannon's been on the path to weight loss for a couple years now.
"I said, why couldn't I have weighed in when I first started, because then, I could've won!" said Bannon.
Bannon says his momentum had slowed somewhat in the last year, but with new health concerns and this challenge, he's back on track.
"Two months ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes; that's what forced the issue. I've been asking for help to lose weight from the good Lord in a long time and this is the way I got it, I guess. Not necessarily the right way but it is working. I'm doing a lot of pushaways from the table and continuing to exercise," said Bannon.
"We're a state of obesity more or less, and I think with the economy the way it is too, more people get depressed and by working out, it also helps your endorphins to get in a better mood," said Berry.
June 7th is the final weigh-in. Whichever team loses the most percentage of weight wins and will receive an award from the losing team.
These cities are also partaking in the Pound for Pound Challenge. For every pound you lose, one pound of groceries will go toward a food bank in your city. So far, Missouri's in 4th place, with more than 127,000 pounds pledged. You can join in on the Pound for Pound Challenge until May 31 here.
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UPDATED: April 25 at 5:30 p.m.
The Monroe City versus Palmyra weight loss challenge is in its third week. The two cities are competing for the highest percentage of weight lost in two months time. We visited with both mayors today to see just how much they're losing.
"The Easter bunny came a little late, but I got a nice easter basket. I've got a big chocolate egg for him. That's a little over 1,000 calories, so he better watch out for that," said Palmyra Mayor Loren Graham.
From chocolate glazed donuts to chocolate candy, these two cities are stepping up their game, trading back and forth sugary delights.
"Fortunately the chocolate's not going to tempt me because I don't eat chocolate. But I don't know, I may have to eat a few of these peeps, and I'll just have to do a little more work out to make up for it," said Monroe City Mayor Neal Minor.
His goal? To lose about two thousand pounds throughout the community.
At the initial weigh-in, Palmyra's 90-person team weighed in at 18,700 lbs. Monroe city's 95-person team weighed a total of 20,444 lbs.
"I'm down ten pounds already, but I feel the next will be a lot harder," said Graham.
"I've lost weight. I'm not going to tell Mayor Graham how much because I don't want him to know. I don't want to lose it too fast, because I got to maintain this for eight weeks," said Minor.
So how are they dropping the weight?
"Mainly, it's just changing my diet and eating less, eating a lot of protein and cutting the other stuff out," said Minor.
"I've been on a weight loss journey for quite a while and when Mayor Graham told us about this, I thought it would be a good incentive, especially with the nice weather coming, to get out and walk," said Dodd.
"I've been going out walking every night, and it's kind of cool, you'll see other people walking and giving each other the thumbs up," said Graham.
"I've done a little exercise but not much. I'll wait till the last couple of weeks to lose those last 25 pounds," said Minor.
"I just have to encourage our people to exercise and watch what they eat and take those pounds off," said Graham.
"We'll just have to maintain it for six more weeks," said Minor.
Losing weight isn't their only incentive.
"It's always good to beat Monroe City at something," said Dodd.
Come June 7th, whichever team loses the most percentage of weight wins and will receive an award from the losing team.
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For years, Monroe City and Palmyra have rivaled one another in high school athletics. Monday, they stepped it up, moving the competition from the field to the gym. Their goal? To lose weight.
We found out it isn't going to be the easiest of tasks.
"There's so much history and rivalry with athletic high school events and we wanted to come up with a friendly competition that could get the adults in the community together and bring everyone together for another competition, but at the same time something that will benefit both communities," said Monroe City Mayor Neal Minor.
"I'm sure all the citizens of Palmyra are gonna give it a 110 percent, and we'll see what happens," said Palmyra Mayor Loren Graham.
The games have only just begun.
"I want to wish them the best of luck in this competition, so I thought maybe I could go by and show them my support for Palmyra and drop off some donuts," said Minor. With that box of donuts a letter: 'Mayor Graham and citizens of Palmyra, best of luck in the biggest loser competition. ~Mayor Minor.'
"So little does he know I haven't weighed in yet, so I can eat those and bulk up a little more," said Graham. "I'm gonna have to come up with something to counter that."
These guys have few words of encouragement for the other team.
"You know how well Monroe City likes to compete so best of luck to you," said Minor.
"This is gonna be good, this is gonna be fun. I've talked to several people. A lot of people are gonna sign up and participate. It's gonna be neat," said Graham.
During the next few weeks, these two cities will keep record of how much weight they've lost since the first weigh-in.Come June 6th, whichever team loses the most percentage of weight wins.
"And whoever wins, the losing mayor has to come to a ceremony and present the winning side with a trophy or something," said Graham.
"Mayor Graham and I don't have the specifics laid out yet as to how he's going to come and present us with the winning community but I'm sure he'll do something to congratulate us," said Minor.
Game on.
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If you live in Palmyra or Monroe City and would like to take part in the Biggest Loser competition, you have until Tuesday April 12, to weigh in.
Palmyra residents can weigh in at Priority Physical Fitness during normal business hours.
The Monroe City site is at the Senior Nutritional Center from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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